SpeeekDownload on the App Store
Back to Lost In The City

French Phrase

Reste sur les routes principales.

/ʁɛst syʁ le ʁut pʁɛ̃.sipal/
Meaning"Stay on the main roads."
💡

Meaning

The sentence is a direct piece of advice: ‘Stay on the main roads.’ It is often used when giving navigation instructions, reminding someone to avoid side streets or shortcuts that might be unsafe or confusing.

🎯

When to use

Use this phrase when you are guiding a driver, a cyclist, or a pedestrian, especially in unfamiliar towns, during a road‑trip, or when you want to emphasize safety by staying on well‑known, well‑maintained routes.

✦Grammar Breakdown

Restesurlesroutesprincipales

1

Imperative (tu)

‘Reste’ is the second‑person singular imperative of the verb *rester* (to stay). Use it in informal contexts.

2

Preposition *sur*

*Sur* means ‘on’ or ‘upon’; it introduces the location where the action should happen.

3

Noun + adjective order

In French, most adjectives follow the noun. *Routes principales* = ‘main roads’, with the adjective *principales* placed after the plural noun *routes*.

4

Article agreement

The definite article *les* agrees in number (plural) with *routes*.

🗨In Conversation

A

Reste sur les routes principales.

Stay on the main roads.

D'accord, je suivrai les panneaux d'autoroute.

Okay, I’ll follow the highway signs.

B

✕Common Mistakes

  • Restez sur les routes principale.

    Mixes formal ‘Restez’ with a singular adjective; also *principale* should be plural *principales* to match *routes*.

  • Reste sur le routes principales.

    The article *le* is singular; it must be the plural *les* to agree with *routes*.

  • Reste sur les route principales.

    The noun *route* is missing the plural *s*; it should be *routes*.

↔Alternatives

  • Reste sur les voies principales.

    Stay on the main lanes.

  • Prends les routes principales.

    Take the main roads.

  • Reste sur les routes principales, s'il te plaît.

    Please stay on the main roads.

fr

Cultural Tip

In France, ‘routes principales’ often refer to *routes nationales* (RN) or major departmental roads, while the high‑speed highways are called *autoroutes*. If you’re speaking to someone you don’t know well, switch to the formal imperative ‘Restez’ to show politeness.